Disclaimer: The Harry Potter Universe was created by J. K. Rowling.
No monetary profit is being made from this writing
Summary: At the Annual Wizard’s convention, Harry, Ron and Hermione are sure Lucius Malfoy is up to something and they get more than they bargained for.
Author's note - this was a Lucius dream I had.
Humour – PG
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IN THE SECRET ROOM ...
Harry, Ron and Hermione had been invited, by Professor Dumbledore to the Annual Wizard’s Convention in Glastonbury.
"Thank you, Professor," Harry said. "We’re honoured to be here."
"My pleasure, Harry," the old wizard smiled. "Now go and mingle."
The three children went too to take a look around. A black robed figure approached them. "You three had better behave yourselves. The last thing we need is Hogwarts to be embarrassed by the antics of three of its students."
"Yes, Professor Snape, "Harry said. "We’ll be good."
Snape glared at them. "See that you do." With that, he left abruptly, his cape flowing crisply behind.
"What does he think we are?" Ron hissed. "Five year olds?"
Harry glared after Snape and shook his head. "Let’s go and look around," he said to the others.
They recognised some wizards, but many they did not.
"There’s Fudge," Ron said, pointing.
"I’ve never seen so many witches and wizards in one place before," Hermione said, fascinated.
"Oh no ..." Harry groaned.
"What is it?" Ron asked.
"Malfoy."
Hermione frowned. "But I thought we were the only Hogwarts students here."
"Lucius Malfoy."
"Oh, him."
"Yes, *him.*"
"He’s spooky," Ron said.
Harry nodded. "Don’t let him see us. We don’t want any trouble."
"Agreed," Hermione said.
Ron nodded his agreement and the trio moved away from the long white haired wizard. Lucius turned around, but did not see the three Hogwarts students.
Hermione busied herself talking wit the intellectual ones and was pleased they didn’t treat her like an imbecile.
Ron found a wizard convenience store and bought some sweets and trinkets to amuse himself.
Later on that evening, Harry saw Lucius enter a small side room and he watched curiously. He waited atop the stairs and was waiting a long time before Malfoy senior came out of the room, with a smile on his face. Harry watched him walk away.
"What was he doing in there all this time?" Harry asked himself quietly.
At the same the next night, Lucius entered this same room and it was quite a while before he emerged. Harry became more and more suspicious and kept a close eye on Malfoy, taking extra care to be very discreet. Luckily for him, Lucius had no idea he was being spied upon.
On the third night, again, Harry spied upon Malfoy from atop the stairs. He grew bored and so he began to read a book about a muggle girl who wanted to be a witch. Harry felt an empathy with her, but his main concern was what Lucius Malfoy was up to.
He heard the door open and peered from behind a plant, behind the railings. Again, Lucius looked like he could take on the world. He looked up when he heard a slight rustle. Harry grew wide eyes and withdrew. He was relieved when the older wizard paid the sound no heed.
On the fourth day of the convention, Potter confessed his suspicions to Ron and Hermione. "Malfoy’s up to something."
"You mean Lucius?"
Harry nodded. "He’s planning something. I’m sure of it."
"How can you be so sure?" Hermione asked.
"He’s been sneaking into this little side room at precisely 8pm every evening. He’s in there for two whole hours. I haven’t a clue what he’s doing in there, but I’m sure he’s up to no good. When he comes out he looks like a million galleons."
"Are you sure, Harry?" Hermione asked. "I mean last time we were so sure about Snape..."
"But this is different. Snape might be a bastard, but Lucius is downright evil."
"So what do you plan to do?"
"We go into the room at 9.30."
"But it might be dangerous. What if there are other evil wizards in there with him?"
"That’s a chance we’re going to have to take. We’ll wait at the top of the stairs. There’s a large plant there we can hide behind. A pity I don't have my father’s cloak with me. Next time I won’t leave home without it."
"Harry," Ron said, "why does everywhere we go with you turn out to be life and death?"
The bespectacled boy shrugged. "Just lucky I guess."
Ron shook his head.
Later, that evening, the three got ready to tail Lucius.
"You three should be heading to your room," came a very familiar voice.
"Yes, Professor Snape," Harry said, "we just wanted to hear Professor Dumbledore’s final talk of the evening."
"Well you’d better hurry up. It’s about to start and then straight to your room. Don’t think I won’t take points of Gryffindor just because we’re not at Hogwarts. Now go."
"Yes, Professor."
They left in a hurry. "What do we do now?" Hermione asked. "He’ll be watching us like a hawk."
"We’ll double back," Harry said.
"If he catches us, I’ll be more worried about what he’s going to do rather than Mr Malfoy," Ron said.
The children doubled back to the entrance to the small room and hid behind the plant atop the stairs. Sure enough at precisely eight o’clock, Lucius Malfoy entered the room. Before the door closed, the children briefly saw a short corridor followed by another door.
"Right," Harry said quietly, "now we had better go to Dumbledore’s talk for a while to keep Snape happy."
"Should we tell him and Dumbledore about Malfoy?"
Harry shook his head. "Snape probably won’t believe us .. And even though it looks suspicious, if I’m wrong ..."
"We’ll all look like idiots," Hermione said.
"But what if someone else *is* in there?" Ron said. "We might need backup."
"If we can just take out Malfoy," Harry said. "Besides, too many cooks spoil the broth."
Ron gave Harry a strange look.
"Muggle saying," Hermione explained.
"Oh. Makes sense though."
"Let’s hope we can handle it," Hermione said.
Harry nodded. "I’m *sure* he’s up to something ... Two hours ... at the same time *every* night ... It smells suss to me."
The trio made their way to Dumbledore’s talk.
Snape made a mental note that they were there, albeit late. He watched them for a while before turning his attention to Dumbledore. The children stood at the back of the crowded room. Fortunately most of the wizards and witches were taller then them and they had little trouble leaving.
At 9.35, the three hurried to the secluded room. When there, they calmed themselves. Ron swallowed as they took out their wands.
"Alohomora," Hermione whispered.
Obediently, the door unlocked.
"That was too easy," Ron said in a hushed voice.
The three slowly made their way up the short corridor. Through the half glass door, the children saw a silhouette. Harry took a deep breath.
"It’s not locked," Hermione whispered.
Potter paused for a second before flinging open the door.
"Give it up, Malfoy you’re fini ... Uh ... Uhh ... wwww ...... Uhh ..."
Hermione gasped, almost dropped her wand and turned away. Ron stared eyes wide with shock.
"To what do I owe this *pleasure*?" Lucius asked, standing before them, naked and wet after having just stepped out of the shower.
Harry stood there, spluttering. "I ... b....b ... Uhh ... Sorry ..."
He fumbled for the door handle and shut it in a hurry. The three children bolted like bats out of hell and made for their room, almost bowling over Professor Snape in the process.
"Ten points form Gryffindor!" he yelled. "Each!"
Harry made sure the door to their room was well and truly locked and that it could not be opened with a simple ‘alohomora.’ And they hoped no one came knocking.
Hermione shook her head. "I did *not* see that."
"Well that’s warped my fragile young mind," Ron said, "I thank you very much, Harry! ... When we get back to Hogwarts, Hermione, I think you should make us a forgetfulness potion."
She nodded. "Definitely ..." And she sighed. "A pity he’s so awful, he looked stunning ..."
"Hermione!" the boys exclaimed.
"At least we didn’t tell Dumbledore or anyone else," Harry said.
"At least he wasn’t singing," Ron said.
The others gave him a look.
"Brats!!" Malfoy hissed, virulently, as he spent another half an hour drying his thick, luscious hair.
The children spent the last day of the convention avoiding Malfoy at all costs, especially eye contact so they would not see him glaring daggers at them.
Harry sat on the window sill, enjoying the view. Most of the witches and wizards had already left and he was preparing to.
A shadow slowly befell him.
"I’ll be along, Professor Snape. There’s no need to take points of Gryffindor."
"Ohh how I wish I could ..."
Harry almost fell off the sill and turned to face Lucius. "Mr Malfoy ... I ... uhh ..."
"Shut up, Potter." Lucuis’ voice was dangerously low. "If it weren’t for the witnesses I’d kill you here and now."
"I believe it." Harry swallowed. "But ... Don’t worry ... we’re not planning on telling anyone ..."
"You’d better not, brat ..." Then Lucius smiled. "So you really thought I was planning something .." And he chucked an evil chuckle. "Whatever gave you that idea?"
"Sneaking off into that little room for two hours every night ... What was wrong with the shower in *your* room?"
"It was cursed if you *must* know."
"You shower for *two* hours? ... I suppose you have to with that mane of yours."
Lucius glowered. "I’m warning you, Potter ... Not another word. And if I was ‘planning something’ you and your pathetic friends wouldn’t’ve been able to do anything about it."
"We’ll see about that."
Lucuis glared at the younger boy. "Don’t push me too far, Potter. I’m warning you, I’ll ..."
"There you are, Harry. Come along ... " Dumbledore said, coming to him. "Lucius." He acknowledged the other wizard with a nod.
"Dumbledore."
"I trust you had a pleasant time?"
"As pleasant as these conventions get I imagine," Lucius said.
"You’ll be attending next year I presume?"
Lucius gave a nod. "It seems I have little choice."
"It’s being held at the Witch Emporium in Glasgow." Dumbledore turned to leave, followed by Harry.
"I’ve heard about that place, Professor. "Harry said, then turned to face Malfoy and smiled. "I hear the shower facilities are *excellent.*"
Then he turned away, before he saw the murderous look in Lucius’ eyes, but he imagined it quite well.
*